Letters to the editor 10/8

Time to speak out against fire budget

The proposed Arlington Fire District budget for 2013 has shattered the $16 million mark. The $16.3 million budget was approved at the Sept. 10 meeting which I attended. As proposed, AFD taxpayers would face an 8.6 percent increase in fire tax and it could go higher.

The public can comment on the budget by attending the public hearing on Oct. 16, 6 p.m., Red Oaks Mill Fire Company, 213 Vassar Road.

Total operating expenses will increase by $856,500, which is almost totally driven by the budget's "Benefits" section. Overtime is up again, now exceeding $2 million. In 2011, one firefighter received over $50,000 in overtime earnings alone.

While many municipalities are struggling with tough budget decisions that could result in layoffs and residents are struggling to pay their bills, AFD officials continue to budget for nonessential items such as the yearly $10,000 inspection dinner.

The budget could go up even more due to contractual buyouts of sick time. As stated by Treasurer James Passikoff at the meeting, there is the potential for 13 or 14 firefighters to retire over the next two years. Passikoff estimated the buyout amount of accumulated sick time to be $1.8 to $2 million. Almost none of this is built into the budget yet.

The equipment and building reserve funds contain $3.2 million and nearly half a million dollars, respectively.

Residents should plan to attend the public hearing. Information can be found at www.AFD.org.

Doreen A. Tignanelli

Poughkeepsie

Israel situation a threat to peace

One hundred fifteen years after Theodor Herzl wrote that the only way the Jewish people could be safe and secure was to have a country of their own, they still live in fear. Though they have established their own state, they have engaged in numerous wars and conflicts over the past 64 years and still don't see light at the end of the tunnel. Their latest bogey is Iran, which they fear is developing nuclear weapons with which to destroy Israel, though the Iranians never have threatened any such thing. I believe that is but a paranoid distortion of their statements to the effect that Zionism with its oppression of the Palestinians should cease.

This situation is a clear and present danger to world peace, security, and economic recovery. Israel has proven time and again that it will react with unilateral, unrestrained violence when agitated or opposed. It has and will strike first with maximum force when it believes is it threatened, and what America or the world thinks about it is secondary. Frustrated with President Obama's approach to the matter, they show every inclination to strike. The only thing holding them back appears to be the insufficient range of their aircraft. Should the president waver or his more hawkish opponent be elected, midair refueling capability could be made available to Israel, with grave consequences.

Gregory M. DeSylva

Rhinebeck

DiCarlo right person for Senate job

Neil DiCarlo is still in the race for Senate District 41 on the Conservative line, even though he ultimately lost the Republican line after absentee ballots were counted. In fact, DiCarlo got more votes on primary day in the Republican race than Saland. What? You didn't hear? Shocking. Yes, despite being outspent by the entrenched incumbent by more than $600,000, despite being betrayed by party leaders, ignored by Church leaders, criticized by a desperate cowardly opponent who hid behind outsiders while they did his dirty work, Neil DiCarlo remains a viable candidate and can beat Saland again in November.

Rarely in this People's Republic of New York do we have such an opportunity to defeat someone like Saland. Let us show him and this monolithic Republocrat political machine that we can't be fooled by outsiders or sign-stealing goons; nor can we be bought with New York City Michael Bloomberg's dollars.

By sending Neil DiCarlo to Albany, not only will we be sending to the state Senate a good, hardworking, intelligent man who shares our values and our concerns, but with him we'll be sending a message, "We've had enough!"

Republicans! Independents! Conservative Democrats! We have a common cause and now we have a common candidate. Together, let's elect Neil DiCarlo.

Jeffrey Mahoney

Hyde Park

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Letters to the editor 10/8

The proposed Arlington Fire District budget for 2013 has shattered the $16 million mark. The $16.3 million budget was approved at the Sept. 10 meeting which I attended.